I'm…um, calling back to Loneliness/Solitude, I guess, because Wynston doesn't have the abstract inclination to think of this as a season's change. Here, instead, are Wynston and three women. Spoilers for Agent Act 3 and endgame. Some context drawn from Warrior Act 3. 1500 words.

Spoiler

Wynston took the ship's ramp at a fast walk. He found Temple and Vector in the holo room playing pazaak at a little table set up right next to the medbay. Doctor Lokin, as expected, was busy within.

"Kaliyo won't be returning," Wynston announced evenly. "Temple, take us to Vaiken Spacedock, it's time to get back to work." He ignored the speculative look behind the thin amiable veil Doctor Lokin kept up. If the old blackguard turned out to have known even more about Kaliyo's friends than he had let on, Wynston might find it in himself to stab a crewmate after all; but that was a matter for later. "If Kaliyo does show her face, don't let her get close. She'll be out for blood. I'll be in my quarters, I have some matters to arrange."

Then he retreated. It was time to…to sort something out. He was off balance and he didn't like it.

He considered calling Vector in to talk. Then again, talking to someone that close might be unwise; Wynston needed time to sort out what to say and what to hide, both in the facts, which he might end up being honest about, and the feelings, which he certainly wasn't ready to lay out before his own crew.

Still, he wanted to talk to someone. The mere superficial fact of exchanging words might calm him somewhat.

He briefly considered going out to pay for someone to look after him for a change. But no, he wasn't in the mood. Anger didn't do it for him, and he was, in spite of his efforts to keep a fence around the feeling, furious with himself. As for just finding someone to talk to, his address book was extensive, but when it came to contacts that could both offer good company and understand when to stop asking questions the list was short.

Ruth was an obvious candidate. It wasn't often a woman stayed on speaking terms with him after marrying someone else, but Ruth was still warm. Friendly, genuine, trustworthy. Unavailable, but that didn't matter so much. She still brought out the best in him. She was everything Kaliyo wasn't. And maybe a hands-off kind of girl would do him some good.

He called and she answered quickly, coming up in an imposing set of black armor. That was a switch. She used to favor a modified Imperial uniform that gave her a charmingly ordinary aspect.

"Wynston," she said. She didn't smile.

"Ruth," he said cordially. "I've finally had time to come up for air. I thought I'd call in, see how things are going with you."

"Busy," she said.

"Busy where, exactly?" he asked. Something felt off.

"Corellia." There was a defiant sound to it. "You can tell your masters if you like."

That would be a reference to the chunk of Imperial Intelligence that had been handed to her former master Darth Baras. Surprising that she thought he would accept Baras's leadership. Very surprising that she thought he would inform on her. "I wasn't planning on it. You know, I was on Corellia not long ago." He tried a smile. "It seems we just missed each other."

"Yes. Interesting timing, you calling now. What do you want?"

Giving the usual glib line about simply wanting to see her would be either well received or…disastrously not, given the brittle sound of her. He had never seen her like this. He liked to follow a woman's moods, map out what she wanted, provide what he could, at least until the job called him elsewhere. It was fun, even with the crazy ones. It was rewarding. It was…hard, when someone gave him a turnaround like this. He decided to give her the truth. "I'd like to catch up. I'm between jobs. Things have been eventful, things I can talk about for once."

He shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much. We all knew it was coming sometime." He pushed away the thoughts of every kind of trouble she could wreak due to his having been unprepared when the time did come.

"Yes," said Ruth. "Yes, at least you saw it coming." For a second her mouth just hung open; then her jaw clenched convulsively and, after a quick breath, she moved on. "I'm afraid there's not much I can do about it."

"I wouldn't ask you to. But I would like to see you, if you have the time."

"I don't," she said coldly. "Sorry."

Upset wasn't a good look for her. "Ruth…what's happening? What did happen?"

"No." Her lip curled in a decidedly unnatural way. "It's nice that you're newly single and so very anxious to help. You can just keep fighting the good fight wherever you are."

"Something's obviously gone wrong where you are, and I'm not calling to pursue you like that. I'd like to do whatever I can, just tell me plainly what the matter is."

"Plainly?" She lifted her chin in that way she had when she was reminding herself to be commanding. And she was commanding, regal in a chilling way. A familiar way, but familiar from others, never from the pretty idealist of Dromund Kaas. "I don't want you anywhere near me, agent."

The Sith Lord cut the signal.

Of all possible reactions to his call, Wynston hadn't even imagined that one. He held the immediate sting of her rejection at arm's length for the moment; dwelling on that would be beyond counterproductive. Even if he couldn't get her alone for a tête-a-tête, he had hoped for some work or some favor-working to take his mind off things just then, something constructive, something good. But evidently his favorite partner for these things, his only regular one outside his own crew, was busy.

Worse than that. What had worked that change? He wanted to know, wanted a problem he could work on. Had Baras picked up too great a victory? Crew shakeups. Had the lieutenant or the Talz finally run too far out of line? Had Vette or Jaesa run afoul of a Sith even Ruth couldn't handle? Not likely, that. Had Captain Fullofhimself managed to run through her infinite goodwill? That also seemed unlikely, but if anyone could succeed in souring a love that extravagant it would be that walking irritation machine.

As if Wynston were in a position to criticize people for their taste in lovers.

A soft beep indicated a call coming in on the main holo. Wynston headed out to answer and was relieved to see the person he still thought of as Watcher Two. Just what he needed: something to take his mind off actual women.

He remembered the correct title when he spoke. "Keeper, I could kiss you right now."

"You really couldn't, Cipher," she said with her familiar refrigerated disdain.

At least someone was reacting as expected today. "Well then, what can I do for you?"

"Something's come up and I think we should have that talk about what you can do for Imperial Intelligence in your new capacity sooner rather than later."

"Certainly. By the way, you should cut Kaliyo Djannis's accounts as soon as possible."

"What?" She started forward, then shook her head and consciously relaxed. "Finally. She beat all projections we set on her in terms of useful life. I suppose we had you to thank for that, if 'thank' is the word." Her brows knit together. "I don't suppose you can remove her once and for all?"

"She got away."

"Understood. That's quite unfortunate...and, something of a surprise. I wouldn't have bet on her against you."

"You don't have to finish that analysis." By raw capability, Keeper was right; Wynston should never have lost. It was the motivation that had failed. The last thing he needed now was his former boss lecturing him on the weakness he had cultivated.

She did her superior eyebrow raise. "The analysis from your new information is already done. But it seems a little late to berate you over it."

"That's very kind of you. As for a meeting, just give me a time and place and I'll be there."

"Will you be ready to work?"

"Absolutely. And just think, this time you'll have my full attention."

Her voice was exasperated but her half-smile was tolerant. "You'll never change, will you, Cipher?"

"Not if I can help it." So long as he had one or two familiar stars left, however distant, he could steer things back to course. He hadn't been alone in quite some time, but he was pretty sure he remembered how it worked.

Spoiler

Wynston will catch up with Ruth in person in another six or seven months and they'll find new terms. But right now she considers nobody her friend.

I've never felt bad about not assigning Wynston a long-term partner apart from Vector. He's not good with connections; ever since severing his old life to enter Intelligence the majority of his interactions with others have been both powerfully goal-oriented and brief. That's just how he is.